Fort Wayne, Ind. — For much of Sunday’s game between No. 6 MSU and No. 14 Notre Dame, the Spartans were a step slow. At times, MSU was on the cusp of making a charge but just couldn’t reach a loose puck. The Fighting Irish, however, made the most of their chances, scoring four times on 16 shots in a 4-1 win against the Spartans on Sunday at Allen County War Memorial Coliseum.
“We needed to convert on a couple of good chances,” MSU head coach Rick Comley said. “And then, once they get a couple-goal lead, they make it tough for you. But we were in it right to the end.”
Combined with Thursday’s tie with the Irish, the loss marks the first time this season the Spartans haven’t won at least one game in a weekend series.
“The puck was just an inch or two (away),” senior co-captain Nick Sucharski said. “This game is a game of inches. You’ve got to be able to work harder and give that extra mile so you can get that extra inch. We struggled tonight to do that.”
And after the power play was so hot to start the season, Sunday’s game marked the fourth straight game the Spartans haven’t scored with the man-advantage. MSU scored 15 power play goals in its first 10 games, but none in the five games since. Comley called it his team’s “biggest challenge” right now.
“I think it needs to be tweaked a bit,” Comley said. “Juggle people a little bit.”
Notre Dame (6-5-3 overall, 3-2-3-2 CCHA) took an early 1-0 lead on a tally by forward Calle Ridderwall fewer than five minutes in, his seventh of the season and a goal Comley said sophomore goaltender Drew Palmisano would like to have back.
The Irish added to their lead less than 10 minutes later when forward Kyle Palmieri was the benefactor of a fortuitous bounce. Defenseman Ian Cole’s shot went wide but came right back, was missed by sophomore defenseman Matt Crandell and found Palmieri, who put it past Palmisano just as an MSU penalty expired.
“We had so many lucky bounces in the first part of the season and we were bound to have a few unlucky ones,” Sucharski said.
But the Spartans (9-3-2, 6-2-2-0) cut their deficit in half 38 seconds later, when sophomore forward Daultan Leveille got the puck in tight and picked the top front corner over the left shoulder of Notre Dame goaltender Brad Phillips.
Despite being badly outshot, the Irish were able to take a 3-1 lead at 8:23 of the second period on a goal by forward Riley Sheahan.
The puck was held in the face-off circle, but defenseman Kyle Lawson came up with it and hit Sheahan with a cross-ice pass at the point and he ripped a shot that beat Palmisano, who couldn’t get over in time.
The third period was rather uneventful. Not a single penalty was called, but Notre Dame had trouble finding an offensive spark, going much of the period with only one shot. But the Spartans couldn’t offer much, either. Although they recorded shots, few were of high quality. That mostly was due to Notre Dame’s strong defensive corps, which is anchored by four upperclassmen, three of whom are NHL draft picks.
“We’re playing better defensively and we’re creating our own turnovers,” Notre Dame head coach Jeff Jackson said.
Comley called timeout with 1:19 to play and pulled Palmisano with an offensive-zone face-off coming. MSU had a chance, banging away in front of Phillips but he covered. Off the next face-off, Notre Dame gained control and forward Kevin Deeth sealed the game with an empty-netter with 55 seconds left.
Sunday was the first time Notre Dame had scored more than three goals this season.
“We just lost to a good team,” Comley said. “I don’t make any more of it than that.”
MSU’s tough November continues next weekend. Following three straight weekends playing ranked teams, the Spartans host perennially tough Wisconsin and Minnesota in the College Hockey Showcase at Munn Ice Arena on Friday and Saturday.
Support student media!
Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
Discussion
Share and discuss “Icers fall to Irish 4-1” on social media.
